SINGAPORE, Aug 31 (Reuters) - A pregnant woman was among
those diagnosed with Zika infections in Singapore, as the number
of confirmed cases of the mosquito-borne virus in the city-state
rose to 115.

The Zika virus, which has spread through the Americas and
the Caribbean since late last year, is generally a mild disease
but is a particular risk to pregnant women as it can cause
microcephaly - a severe birth defect in which babies are born
with abnormally small heads and underdeveloped brains.

The pregnant woman who tested positive lives in the Aljunied
area in Singapore's southeast, where most previous cases have
been detected. A member of her household was earlier diagnosed
with Zika, the Straits Times newspaper reported.

Singapore announced the first locally contracted case of
Zika late on Saturday, and the number of diagnosed infections
has grown steadily this week.

In a joint statement with the National Environment Agency
(NEA), the health ministry said it identified another potential
cluster of Zika virus infection in east Singapore, involving
three previously reported cases.

"Over time, we expect Zika cases to emerge from more areas.
We must work and plan on the basis that there is Zika
transmission in other parts of Singapore and extend our vector
control efforts beyond the current affected areas," Minister for
Health Gan Kim Yong said in the statement.

Several countries have warned pregnant women or those trying
to conceive to avoid travelling to Singapore.

The outbreak and travel advisories come as the tourism
industry in one of the world's busiest travel hubs already faces
weak global economic growth. It is also just weeks ahead of the
Singapore Formula One motor-racing Grand Prix - a major sporting
and entertainment attraction.

Preparations for the race weekend are "on track and
proceeding as per normal," the promoter, Singapore GP, said in
an emailed statement.

WIDER SCOPE

In addition to 24 new Zika cases confirmed on Wednesday,
nine were detected in the health ministry's 'look-back' testing
of previous cases.

The NEA said it is to widen the scope of its mosquito
control operations - clearing drains and spraying potential
breeding habitats with insecticide - to include the new
potential cluster area.

Most of the initial cases were among the hundreds of
thousands of foreign workers, drawn mainly from the Asian
sub-continent, who work on Singapore's construction sites and in
the marine sector. These included 13 Indian citizens, said a
person at the Indian High Commission in Singapore.